Door check



Dec. 2l, 1965 A. H. FANNAN, JR., ETAL 3,224,033

DOOR CHECK 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 15 1962 Dec. 21, 1965 A. H. FANNAN, JR.. ETAL 3,224,033

DOOR CHECK Filed Nov. 13, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 2l, 1965 A. H. FANNAN. JR.. ETAL 3,224,033

DooR CHECK Filed Nov. 13, 1962 5 sheets-sheet s Jf. HJM/Z "y ULM?. f77/m, 5)/

Dec. 21, 1965 A. H. FANNAN, JR.. ET AL 3,224,033

DOOR CHECK Filed Nov. 13, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 21, 1965 A. H. FANNAN. JR., ETAL 3,224,033

l DOOR CHECK Filed Nov. 13, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Gti-ice 3,224,933 Patented Dec. 2l, 1965 3,224,033 DR CHECK Andrew H. Fannan, Ir., and Joseph H. Marchione, Rockford, Ill., assignors to L. W. Menzimer, trustee, Rockford, Ill.

Filed Nov. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 236,989 1t) Claims. (Cl. 16-82) This invention relates to door checks especially designed and adapted for use on the doors of automobiles and trucks to give frictional resi-stance to the opening movement of the door for the desired deceleration and also perform the highly desirable hold-open function, as well as that of positively limiting movement when the door reaches the fully opened position.

The principal object of our invention is to provide simpler and more economical and durable, as well as more practical door checks, with combination friction type hold-open and stop means, in which flat `strips or pads of wear resisting friction material, similar to what is cornmonly used for brake linings, are mounted on opposite sides of a slot in a plate fastened to the door pillar at an appreciable distance from the door hinging axis and slidably frictionally engage Wide dat surfaces on opposite sides of an arm pivotally connected yat one end to another plate fastened to the edge of the door, the arm being movable endwise between the pads in the opening and closing of the door and being made up preferably of two elongated strips of fairly thin readily flexible yand resilient sheet metal which have oppositely inclined ramps defined thereon at their outer ends to provide substantially uniform frictional resistance to opening of the door up to mid-open position, at which point the ramps give gradually increasing frictional resistance the rest of the way to fully opened position. In most cases, the opening movement is preferably positively limited by having a stop projection provided on the outer end of the arm which strikes the first mentioned plate alongside the slot provided therein, the arm in this extreme position also having abutment with the opposite end of the slot to distribute the load :and accordingly reduce likelihood of damage to the arm, especially in the event of unusually violent opening movement, as -sometimes occurs, especially in the event of heavy wind pressure on the door. When the stop projection is provided with a rubber bumper, a silencing and cushioning action is also obtained. In most of these two-piece arm constructions the outer ends of the two sheet metal pieces are preferably riveted together, but spot welding is used in some cases. As will be seen, We do not limit ourselves to two-piece arms, nor to arms of flat form.

The spacing of the edge of the door with respect to the `pillar is different on different cars and where this space is too small to permit having any outward projections on the edge of the door or on the pillar we provide a slot in the wall in the edge of the door or in the pillar and reverse the bracket for the pivoting of the friction arm so that the bracket projects into the door or pillar and the pivotal connection is therefore on the inside, thereby making the invention substantially universally adaptable.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal section through the edge portion of an automobile door and the door pillar, showing our improved door check, comprising a friction arm pivotally connected to a plate on the door and cooperating with friction pads mounted in a plate on the pillar to provide hold-open and stop action in accordance with our invention, there being uniform frictional resistance to door opening movement up to a mid-position and gradually increasing resistance thereafter up to the fully opened position where the stop limits further movement;

FIG. 2 is a side View of the door check by itself;

FIG. 3 is a face view of the plate fastened to the inside of the door pillar;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a similar form of friction arm in another door check, this arm including a rubber bumper on the stop projection;

FIG. 5 is another view similar to FIG. 1 showing a similar form of friction arm on another door check, wherein the stop projection is on the other side of the arm at the outer end thereof;

FIG. 6 is still another view similar to FIG. 1 showing still another form of friction arm on another door check providing different frictional resistance, FIG. 7 being an edgewise view of a portion of the friction arm of FIG. 6 to better illustrate the construction;

FIG. 8 is still another view similar to FIG. 1 showing another door check of similar construction so far as the friction arm is concerned but having the bracket providing pivotal support on the edge of the door reversed as required in some installations where limited space between door and pillar do not permit using the other construction;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail of FIG. 8 taken at right angles to FIG. 8;

FIGS. l0 and ll are other views similar to FIG. 1 but showing a single piece friction arm in each instance, these views including sectional details in lines a-a and b-b, respectively, to better illustrate the constructions, and

FIGS. l2 and 13 show still another door check using a different form of friction arm.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout these views.

Referring rst to FIGS. 1 to 3, the reference numeral 10 designates a butt type hinge having the attaching shank portion of one butt 11 secured to the edge portion of an automobile door 12, and the attaching shank portion of the other butt 13 secured to the door pillar 14 on the body, the outer knuckle ends of the two butts being pivotally connected in the usual way by a pintle 15. The hinge 10 has been indicated in dotted lines to represent either the upper hinge above or the lower hinge below the door check location, or both, the dotted line showing avoiding confusion With details of the door check. The door check of our invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 16 and is of extremely practical, serviceable, and economical construction, having two halves of a bracket 17 secured by means of screws 18 to the edge portion of the door on the outer side, using a tapping plate 19 on the inner side of the wall of the door, the bracket 17 being pivotally connected by means of a cotter pin 20 to one end of an elongated straight friction arm 21, which extends through a slot 22 provided in a rectangular plate 23, fastened by means of screws 24 to the inner side of the wall 25 of the pillar 14 with the screws 24 extending through another plate 26 abutting the outer side of said wall, the plate 23 having a pair of strips or pads 27 of wear resisting friction material mounted in the slots 22 in the opposite sides thereof to furnish frictional resistance to endwise movement of the arm 21 relative thereto and accordingly provide frictional resistance to the opening and closing of the door 12, as well as to give gradually increasing frictional resistance to door opening movement from a mid-open position to fully opened position, and finally positively limit movement when the door reaches the fully opened position. The strips or pads 27, which are preferably molded of a material similar to what is used for brake linings, are of rectangular form with notched ends 28 that straddle the opposite ends of the shorter side portions of the slot 22 but can be passed easily through the extended middle portion 29 of the slot in assembling the pads on plate 23 before the inner or pivoted end of the friction arm 21 is forced between the pads and pivotally connected at with the brackets 17. The arm 21, as clearly appears in FIG. 2, is built up of two thin strips 3d of steel having the desired resilience and are flat and have surface to surface engagement from plvot pin 20 out to line 31, and also at the depressed outer end portions 32, where the two strips are suitably riveted together, as indicated at 33. Between the line 31 and the outer end portions 32, the two strips 3i) have ramp portions 34 formed thereon by pressure between dies, whereby to. give gradually increasing frictional resistance to door opening movement from a mid-position to the point of the fully opened position indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1, at which point a stop projection defined on one end of the outer end portions 32 strikes the back of plate 23 alongside the slot 22. In the dotted line position of the friction arm 21 in FIG. l, it will be seen how the opposite edge of the arm 21 remote from the stop 35 engages the adjacent end of the slot 22 when the door 12 is in the fully opened position, thereby insuring not only full engagement of the stop projection 35 with the back of plate 23 but also distribution of the load imposed on the arm 21 when the door reaches the limit position, this being quite important because the door is sometimes thrown open violently, and Wind pressure occasionalh causes similar violent movement of the door to fully opened position, and, if the force were not distributed in this way and all of it was applied to the stop projection 35 alone there might be danger of the arm 21 getting bent out of shape and ultimately requiring replacement,

In the operation of this door check 16, the friction pads 27 are subjected to a certain amount of compression initially by the forcible entry therebetween of the relatively thin inner end portion of the arm 21, and there is consequently appreciable friction drag imposed upon the door movement, the friction drag being substantially uniform up to the point where the door is about half-Way open, namely, where the line 31 arrives at pads 27. This is important because it is in this range that most door operations occur, the door being opened just enough to allow a person to enter or leave without too much difficulty, and the door being openable that far readily enough in most garages and most parking lots. The restraint on the door movement is of advantage in holding the door in whatever position the operator desires and also reduces the likelihood of banging the door against a wall or adjacent car. In those instances where a wider opening of the door is necessary or desirable, the ramps 34 exert gradually increasing frictional resistance to movement as these portions are subjected to more and more flattening between the friction pads 27 the wider the door is opened, maximum resistance to movement coming when the stop projection 35 strikes the back of plate 23 alongside one end of slot 22. At that point the opposite edge of the arm 21 also strikes the other end of slot 22, thereby providing a solid and positive stop action and one in which the load is distributed enough to eliminate likelihood of any damage to the hold-open and stop means.

Where the space dimension A indicated in FIG. 1 between the door 12 and a pillar 14 is substantially smaller, as, for example, is indicated by dimension A in FIG. 8, we provide a slot 36 in the wall on the edge portion of the door 12a (or pillar) and provide preferably a onepiece generally U-shaped bracket 17a having outwardly bent end portions 37 secured by means of screws 18a to the wall on the door (or pillar), using a tapping plate 19a on the inside of the door, the friction arm 21a having its inner end pivoted in the bracket 17a by means of a cotter pin 20a. T he rest of the door check indicated generally by the reference numeral 16a is substantially the same as seen in FIGS. l to 3 and there is no diiference in operation.

In FIG. 4 we have shown another door check ll6b which is the same as the door check 16 of FIGS. 1 to 3 except that in this form a rubber cup 38 tightly encloses and is preferably cemented to the stop projection 35 to give a silencing and cushioning action at the limit of door open ing movement.- Otherwise the operation of this door check is the same as with the construction of FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIGS. 5 we have shown still another door check 16C which is the same as the door check 16 of FIGS. l to 3 except that the stop projection 35 is provided on the opposite side of the outer end portion to limit door opening movement by engagement with the plate 23 at the adjacent end of slot 22, instead of where projection 35 strikes plate 23 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. Otherwise the operation is the same as with the construction of FIGS. 1 to 3.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 the door check 16d has the friction arm 21d of two-piece construction, the two strips 30d in this form being welded together at 39 and 40 at opposite ends of the embossed ramp portions 34d. The ramp portions 34d diverge outwardly from radial line 31d to another line 41 marking the inner end of a plateau portion 42, whereby to obtain operating characteristics with this door check closely approximating that obtained with door check 16 of FIGS. l to 3, except that after the uniform frictional resistance up to the mid-open position there is a faster build-up frictional resistance to further opening, up to the point where line 41 reaches the friction pads 27d, and, from that point, the maximum friction is substantially uniform the rest of the way to the fully opened position, at which point movement is limited positively by stop projection 35d. If desired, the ramps 34a' can be decreased in rise a little, and the plateau portion 42, instead of having parallel surfaces, can have outwardly diverging surfaces, so that the door opening movement to the midpoint is resisted with uniform frictional drag, and thereafter, in the further opening, up to line 41, there is an appreciable gradual increase in frictional resistance, after which there is a further but less abrupt increase in frictional resistance, reaching a maximum when the door is fully opened and stop projection 35d strikes plate 23.

In all of the door check constructions above described the two-piece friction arms are made of strips of relatively thin resilient material (usually steel) of uniform thickness. However, we do not limit ourselves to the use of friction arms of two-piece construction, because we may have friction arms of one-piece construction, utilizing thicker ma.- terial, of approximately double the thickness of the material used in the aforesaid constructions, as shown, for example, in door checks 16e and 16jC of FIGS. l() and ll, in which friction arms 21e and 21f, respectively, are both of one-piece construction, as seen by the related sectional details taken on lines a-a and b-b, respectively. In order to obtain substantially the same gradual increase in frictional resistance to door opening movement outwardly from line 4I in both of these constructions, the strip is formed between dies to provide outwardly diverging ramps 43 and 44, portion 43 being embossed in one direction relative to the plane of the piece and portion 44 in the opposite direction relative to said plane, to give the equivalent of the ramps 34d in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, or, more specifically, similarly as the ramps in the construction of FIG. l. The triangular shaped outer end portion 45 in each case is in the same plane as the inner end portion 46, and provides the stop projection 35e in FIG. 10 and 35f in FIG. 1l to limit door opening movement when the door reaches the fully opened position, similarly as in the other constructions previously described. To offset a tendency for the outer end portion of the arm with the ramps 43 and 44 defined thereon twisting under fthe build-up in frictional resistance `as these ramp portions are subjected to a flattening action in opposite directions in sliding between the friction pads 27e, we may provide a heel portion 47 parallel with the outer end portion of the arm, as shown in FIG. l1, disposed nearly, if not actually, in coplanar relationship with portions 45 and 46, this heel portion being slidably guided in a narrow extension 4S of the slot 26e provided in plate 23e, as indicated in FIG. l0, serving to limit this twisting action and thereby insure uniformly good gradual build-up in frictional resistance to door opening movement beyond the mid-open position of the door. Due to the offset relationship of ramps 43 and 44, the pads 27e are preferably arranged in a similarly offset relationship, as indicated in FIG. l0, the pad x on one side of slot 22 that cooperates with ramp 43 being disposed closer to pintle and the pad y on the other side of the slot that cooperates with ramp 44. These pads are .also appreciably shorter than the pads in the other constructions where they have frictional engagement the full width of the arm.

In all of the door checks described above the friction arms are flat and straight. In FIG. l2, door check 16g has an arcuate friction arm 21g pivotally connected at one end by means of .a cotter pin to a pair of brackets 17 on the edge `of a door 12 in such spaced relation to hinge pintle 15 that the latter is approximately at the center of its arc, the arm being formed from cyclindrical rod material and being reciprocable with a close fit in an axial hole S0 in a split cylindrical bushing 51 that may be molded of brake lining material and is caged in a retainer cup 52 suitably secured by means of an ,annular flange 53 to the inside of the wall of pillar 14 in register with a hole 54. A tapered plug 55 is pivotally connected by means of an ear at its abruptly tapered smaller end 56 on the forked inner end of arm 21g by means of a pin 57 parallel to pin 20, whereby to provide a tighter holdopen action when the door is swung to fully opened position and its annularly flanged end 58 positively limits the opening movement by abutment with cup 52, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 12. In operation, the arm 21g cooperating with bushing 51 in cup 52 gives a substantially uniform friction drag throughout the range of door opening movement sufficient to hold the door open reasonably well in any selected position, but, in the fully opened position, a tighter hold-open action is obtained by means of the plug 5S, the fiange S8 serving then to limit opening movement positively by abutment with cup 52. The pivot 57, as seen by the dotted line position of plug 55, enables using the door check in a pillar 14 of much smaller size than would otherwise be possible, as is evident from the full line position of the plug. In conclusion, the pivot 20 might be omitted and arm 21g mounted rigidly on door 12 if mounted accurately in relation to pintle 15, the latter being at the center of the arc of arm 21g.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of our invention, The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

We claim:

1. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm connected to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, said arm having wide flat surfaces on opposite sides thereof, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface door retarding-frictional engagement with the opposite sides of said arm through-out opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said arm including for an outer approximately half portion of its length oppositely inclined compressible ramp portions on opposite sides thereof substantially the full length thereof giving in the compression of said ramp portions between the friction pads gradually increasing resistance to opening of said door substantially from approximately the mid-open to the fully opened position, and a stop projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement.

2. In a door check comprising a rst plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm connected to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, said arm having wide fiat `surfaces on opposite sides thereof, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface door retarding frictional engagement with the opposite sides of said arm throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said arrn including for an outer approximately half portion of its length oppositely inclined compressible ramp portions on opposite sides thereof substantially the full length thereof giving in the compression of said ramp portions between the friction pads gradually increasing resistance to opening of said door substantially from approximately the mid-open to the fully opened position, a stop projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement, and sound deadening and cushioning means carried on said stop projection to engage the second plate alongside the slot at the limit of door opening movement.

3. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm connected to the first plate `and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, said arm having wide fiat surfaces on opposite sides thereof, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface door retarding frictional engagement with the opposite sides of said arm throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said arm being of one piece flexible resilient material and including for an outer approximately half portion of its length portions of the width thereof formed to provide oppositely inclined fiattenable ramp portions which in the fiattening thereof between said friction pads provide gradually increasing frictional resistance to door opening movement, and a stop projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement.

4. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is highly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction larm connected to the attaching portiontion of the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, said arm having wide flat surfaces on opposite sides thereof, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface door retarding frictional engagement with the opposite sides of said arm throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said arm being of one piece flexible resilient material and including for an outer approximately half portion of its length portions of the width thereof formed to provide oppositely inclined flattenable ramp portions which in the fiattening thereof between said friction pads provide gradually increasing frictional resistance to door opening movement, the slot in the second plate having an extension on one end thereof adapted to serve as a guide for slidably receiving an edge portion of said friction arm to resist a tendency for the outer end portion of said arm to twist in the liattening of said ramp portions, and an elongated guide projection provided on one edge portion of said arm at the outer end slidably engageable in said slot extension.

5. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, said first plate having a slot provided therein, a bracket mounted on said first plate providing a support behind said first plate at said slot, an elongated straight friction arm having one end portion extending through said slot and pivotally connected to said bracket behind said first plate and extending from said first plate through a slot provided in the second plate, `and friction means mounted on said second plate frictionally engaging said arm to resist the opening and closing of the door, th-e slot in the second plate being wider at its middle portion than said friction arm, and said friction arm having a stop projection on one side thereof at the outer end which by abutment on said second plate alongside one end of said Wider middle portion of said slot limits dooropening movement, while the other side of said arm engages the other end of the wider middle portion .of said slot, thereby distributing the load, the widening of the middle portion of said slot being enough to permit passing the full length of each pad therethrough, and both pads having middle portions at both ends cut away to admit the thickness of said second plate in assembling said friction pads on opposite sides of said slot in spaced parallel relationship to one another, the cut-away portions on the ends of each pad at the middle defining retaining projections on said ends which by abut-ment with said second plate at the opposite ends of said slot prevent displacement of the pads from assembled position in said slot.

6. In a door check comprising a first plate, and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm comprising two connected strip portions of fiexible resilient material providing wide fiat surfaces on their outer sides, said arm being connected at one end to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface engagement with the outer sides of said strip portions throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, means spacing the ends of said strip portions at the outer end of said arm so that the strip portions together for an outer approximately half portion of its length define a V outwardly fnom said friction pads, whereby in the flexing of said strip portions toward each other as they slide between said pads in the opening of said door from approximately the mid-open position to provide gradually increasing frictional resistance to such opening, means interconnecting the ends of said strip portions at the outer end of said arm, and a sto-p projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement.

7. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hinged'ly mounted, said plates being independent =of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm comprising two connected strip portions of flexible resilient material providing wide fiat surfaces on their outer sides, said arm being connected at one end to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface engagement with the outer sides of said strip portions throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said strip portions being disposed in close abutment outwardly from said first plate to a point intermediate the ends thereof and also at their outer ends but being formed between said intermediate point and said outer ends to define outwardly diverging depressible ramp portions, whereby in the opening of said door there is substantially uniform frictional resistance afforded by said arm sliding between `said friction pads up to said intermediate point, and thereafter gradually increasing frictional resista-nce up to fully opened position, means interconnecting the ends of said strip portions at the outer end of said arm, and a stop projection on the outer end and said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement.

8. In a door check comprising a first plate, and a second plate, one being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm comprising two connected strip portions Iof fieXible resilient material providing wide flat surfaces on their outer sides, said arm 4being connected at one end to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, and friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface engagement with the outer sides of said strip portions for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, said strip portions being disposed in close abutment their full length but having embossed ramp portions defined thereon :outwardly from a point intermediate the ends of said strip portions to a point near the outer ends, these embossed ramp portions being disposed in outwardly diverging relationship to one another to provide gradually increasing frictional resistance to door opening movement from an intermediate partway open position in the compression of said embossed ramp portions by their sliding engagement between said friction pads, means interconnecting the ends of said strip portions at the outer end of said arm, and a stop projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement.

9. A door check as set forth in claim 8, wherein the embossed :ramp portions include flat portions at their outer ends that are substantially parallel to one another, so as to provide substantially uniform maximum frictional resistance to door opening movement near the fully opened position.

llt?. In a door check comprising a first plate and a second plate, lone being attached to a door and the other being attached to a pillar on which the door is hingedly mounted, said plates being independent of the hinge means, an elongated friction arm connected to the first plate and extending therefrom through a slot provided in the second plate, said arm having wide flat surfaces on opposite sides thereof, friction pads mounted on opposite sides of said slot and having surface to surface door retarding frictional engagement with -the opposite sides of said arm throughout opening and closing of the door for frictionally resisting opening and closing of said door, and a stop projection on the outer end of said arm which by abutment on said second plate alongside the slot limits door opening movement, the slot in said second plate being substantially rectangular and said friction pads are also substantially rectangular, said slot being elongated at the middle enough to permit passing the full length of each pad therethrough, and both pads having middle portions at both ends cut away to admit the thickness of said second plate in .assembling said friction pads on opposite sides of said slot in spaced parallel relationship to one another, the cutaway portions on the ends of each pad at the middle defining retaining projections on said ends which by abutment with said second plate at the opposite ends of said slot prevent drsplacement of the pads from assembled position in said slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS (Qther references on following page) 

1. IN A DOOR CHECK COMPRISING A FIRST PLATE AND A SECOND PLATE, ONE BEING ATTACHED TO A DOOR AND THE OTHER BEING ATTACHED TO A PILLAR ON WHICH THE DOOR IS HINGEDLY MOUNTED, SAID PLATES BEING INDEPENDENT OF THE HING MEANS, AN ELONGATED FRICTION ARM CONNECTED TO THE FIRST PLATE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM THROUGH A SLOT PROVIDED IN THE SECOND PLATE, SAID RIM HAVING WIDE FLAT SURFACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, FRICTION PADS MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SLOT AND HAVING SURFACE TO SURFACE DOOR RETARDING-FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ARM THROUGHOUT OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE DOOR FOR FRICTIONALLY RESISTING OPENING AND CLOSING OF SAID DOOR, SAID ARM INCLUDING FOR AN OUTER APPROXIMATELY HALF PORTION OF ITS LENGTH OPPOSITELY INCLINED COMPRESSIBLE RAMP PORTIONS ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF GIVING IN THE COMPRESSION OF SAID RAMP PORTIONS BETWEEN THE FRICTION PADS GRADUALLY INCREASING RESISTANCE TO OPENING OF SAID DOOR SUBSTANTIALLY FROM APPROXIMATELY THE MID-OPEN TO THE FULLY OPENED POSITION, AND A STOP PROJECTION ON THE OUTER END OF SAID ARM WHICH BY ABUTMENT ON SAID SECOND PLATE ALONGSIDE THE SLOT LIMITS DOOR OPENING MOVEMENT. 